Improvement in clock-movements



A. E. HOTGHKISS. Clock Movements.-

No. 200,534. Patented Feb. 19, 1878..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR E. HOTCHKISS, OF CHESHIRE, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOCK-MOVEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,534, dated February 19, 1878; application filed July 27, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it kIlOWJ. that I, ARTHUR E. Horonxrss, of Cheshire, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented Figure 1, afront view Fig. 2, a vertical cen-' tral section. Fig. 8 is a section through the radial shaft.

This invention relates to an improvement in clock-movements the object being to dispense with the usual train of gearing between the power and the escapement-wheel.

It consists in a central shaft supporting the escapement-wheel, or so that the. axis of the central shaft and the axis of the escapementwheel are in the same line, combined with a sta tionary toothed circular rack, concentric with the said central shaft and the axis of the escapement-wheel, and aradial shaft from said central shaft, and supported on said central shaft, to be revolved in a horizontal plane, the said radial shaft having a pinion on its outer end, working in the said concentric stationary rack, and a gear in the other end, working in the gear of the escapernent-wheel, and means for applying power to said central shaft to impart a rotation thereto, and, through the" said traveling radial shaft and stationary rack, to communicate said power to the escapementwheel, as more fully hereinafter described.

For convenience of illustration, the mechanism of the clock is here represented as in front of the dial. A represents the body, frame, or case of the clock; B, the central shaft, supported at one end in the clock-case, and at the other end in a yoke, C, so as to revolve freely in its bearings. Axially in the center of this shaft is the shaft to of the escapement-wheel D, as seen in Fig. 3, and so Attached to the central shaft B is an arm, E, extending radially outward, and forming a bearing, 0, at its outer end for a radial shaft, F, the inner end of the shaft F taking abearing in the central shaft B, as seen in Fig. 3, so that as the central shaft B revolves, it will carry with it the arm E and shaft F. On the outer end of the shaft F is a pinion, f, working in the stationary rack, d, and so that as the shaft F is carried around by the revolution of the shaft E, the pinion f, working in the stationary rack (I, will cause the shaft F to revolve on its own axis. On the inner end of the shaft F is a toothed gear, h, working into a pinion, i, on the escapement-wheel shaft a, which will cause the revolution of the shaft F to be communicated to the escapementwheel.

Power is applied to the central shaft 13 by means of a weight on a drum, G, or by a spring, in either case substantially in the usual manner of communicating power to the driving-shaft of clock-movements.

Combined with the escapement wheel is a verge, Z, to which a pendulum is applied, in the usual manner.

The operation of this movement is as follows: The power havingbeen applied, thepend ulum is given a vibration, the power causing the escapement-wheel to rotate, as before described. The verge escapes at each beat, the escapement-wheel turning one tooth, in the usual manner of clock-escapements. As the escapement-wheel is permitted thus to rotate, the shaft F travels around in its horizontal plane, imparting to the escapement-wheel the revolution it receives from the stationary rack; and, in practice, the time of a full revolution of the shaft F around the rack f is one hour. This allows the attachment of the minute-hair d directly to the shaft B. The hour-hand, concentrically arranged, may be geared in the usual manner, and thus the movement will continue until the power is exhausted.

The dial may be arranged as shown, or upon the opposite side of the case, the particular location of the dial not in any sense qualify ingthe mechanism of the clock.

Instead of the pendulum, the usual balancewheel and lever may be applied.

By this construction the clock-movement is gear, aradial shaft caused to revolve in a horizontal plane by connection with said central shaft, and caused to revolve on its own axis by connection with said stationary gear, and an escapement-wheel in connection with said radial shaft, substantially as described.

ARTHUR E. HOTOHKISS. Witnesses:

JOHN E. EARLE, H. A. KITsoN. 

